The present invention relates to a compact disc drive apparatus specifically designed for data storage and for interfacing to a data processing device for which the data record operates as a read-only memory. It has been found that flat, optically readable, data records of the now well-known "compact-disc" format would fill a need for easily distributable and easily storable read-only media for programs, fixed data and other fixed information usable in a wide variety of applications and user computer configurations. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a disk drive apparatus or player for which the data integrity, easy interfaceability and highly reliable interactivity would be guaranteed. A slightly different field of use could require the mixed storage of digital data and audio information, notably music. Here, the same requirments apply as above.